Chris often writes short stories, his own 'brand' of poetry and is currently developing his own 'spoken word' style. From time to time some of this work will be posted here and feedback would be welcomed.

JAYNE

I’d seen the young girl many times walking, walking down my streetPony-tailed hair flip-flops on her feet.I’d heard other people call her they called her JayneShe was a pretty one not a plain Jayne, Jayne!

I think she was around 16 or 17 Not as old as 18 but she might have been.She walked as if she had the whole world on her shoulderThis made her look MAYBE 10 years older!

She always pushed a baby in a dirty old pramIt was well behaved QUIET I never heard it moanAs mummy walked behind smoking

And talking on a mobile phone!

Her boyfriend Jeff was a bit of a ladHe was around often don’t know if he was the dad.JEFF they said was a diamond geezer

But meI’d seen him tease her squeeze herHe didn’t seem to please her!

She was talking to him now

Talking on the phoneLoudly

SHOUTING

Didn’t care she wasn’t alone!

People watched, Stopping in the street Jayne didn’t care.She sighed stubbed out her fag ran her fingers through her hair!She needed cash money for a fixSupplement milk and … weetabix.

By her reaction I don’t think she liked what he saidThat was when I noticed those bruises on her head!Grazes and scratches I can’t believe I hadn’t seenAnd a gap in her gums where her teeth once had been!

She was getting personal now her face turning red Said some things better left un-said.

She told him

“You make me sick!” and “You’re crap in bed!” and“You’ve got a little dick” and “I wish you were dead!”

An old fellah told her “Please tone it down!”“Fuck off!” she said with a scowl and frown.Two young girls giggled then looked at the floorI heard a woman whisper “Dirty little whore!”

Jayne hung up the phone and lit another smokeThen gestured to the crowd with a middle finger poke.She held her head up high as she pushed away her pramDetermined measured strides like she didn’t give a damn.

They watched her turn the corner forgotten as soon as she’d goneUnluckily though for her, her life still went on.